The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for preventing the accumulation of snow, ice, frost, hail or the like from obstructing the flow of primary air, air or the exhaust into or out of a furnace. Specifically, a high-efficiency 90% sealed combustion condensing furnace. The apparatus is also suitable to prevent leaves, animals or other debris from becoming trapped within the air flow pipes of the furnace and/or other appliances of the building. The apparatus has a screen which may be electrically connected to a heating device. The apparatus may further be attached to a thermostat to automatically turn the heating device on or off at preset temperatures. The apparatus may be incorporated into new pipes of the furnace or may be attached onto existing pipes of the furnace.
Many homes, commercial buildings and industrial buildings have furnace pipes which have an exposed opening. Typically, these pipes are used to allow the flow of air into or out of the furnace. The problem with many of these pipes is that objects often become trapped within the pipe and prevent the flow of air into or out of the furnace. Some of these objects include, leaves, animals and garbage. Further, a major problem with objects obstructing the flow of air through the pipe is the accumulation of ice, snow, frost, hail or the like within the pipe during cold weather. Some attempts to solve similar problems have been made.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,127,867 to Smeja et al. discloses a method of making a metal snow guard. The snow guard has a solid layer of soldering material on its base to be heated and melted with application of heat to the upper side of the snow guard to solder the base to an underlying metal roof. The soldering material may be applied as spaced spots or projections providing a rough surface on the underside of the snow guard. The amount of solder and/or flux in the solid layer is limited so that the solder and/or flux does not flow outwardly from the snow guard and run down the metal roof thereby damaging or marring the metal roof surface. The snow guards may be formed of a few pieces of sheet metal. The projections of soldering material may be formed by forcing a paste of solder and flux through spaced holes in a plate or screen onto the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,507 to Smeja et al. discloses a snow guard for restraining ice and snow along the roofs of buildings. The snow guard is of plastic material having a flat base plate with an upstanding snow retention plate upwardly therefrom and laterally across the base. A reinforcing plate extends upwardly from the base plate, as well, serving to reinforce the retention plate. With the reinforcing plate intersecting and abutting the retention plate at a central axis portion of the base plate.
However, these snow guards fail to prevent the accumulation of snow, ice, frost, hail or the like in the mariner described by the present invention. A need, therefore, exists for an improved apparatus which provides an easy and effective manner for preventing snow, ice, frost, hail, or the like from obstructing the flow of air into or out of a high-efficiency 90% sealed combustion condensing furnace or other appliance. Further, a need exists for an improved apparatus which prevents the accumulation of leaves, animals, debris or the like from decreasing the air flow of a pipe into a furnace or other appliance. In addition, a need exists for an improved apparatus which also may prevent carbon monoxide and/or other dangerous gases from accumulating within a furnace or other appliance as a result of restricted airflow out of the furnace.